


Sweet

by Desidera



Category: Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters (Anime & Manga)
Genre: Explicit Sexual Content, M/M, Sort Of, Yu-Gi-Oh! Pridecember 2020, atem has his own body, since it's Flareshipping
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-27
Updated: 2020-12-27
Packaged: 2021-03-11 03:56:01
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,989
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28358916
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Desidera/pseuds/Desidera
Summary: "Sometimes, when Seto wanted to tease them, he would call them 'Sweet' and 'Spicy'. Yuugi could tell that Atem enjoyed being called 'spicy' - being called something exciting and exotic. Yuugi was partial to 'sweet'. He had been the sweet guy all his life, and he had never minded, but in comparison to Atem's 'spicy' it seemed rather bland, boring even."(contribution for Pridecember 2020 prompt "sweet")
Relationships: Atem/Kaiba Seto/Mutou Yuugi, Kaiba Seto/Mutou Yuugi/Yami Yuugi
Comments: 4
Kudos: 22





	Sweet

**Author's Note:**

> I got a bit carried away with the Pridecember prompt "sweet" for day 25. It's too long to include it into the collection, besides, as mentioned in the tags, it's Flareshipping. My first Flareshipping, and I have to admit, I really fell for it during writing. Hope you enjoy it. 
> 
> Thank you, KuribohIChooseYou, for help and encouragement with the idea!  
> Thank you, Nenya85, for helping me sort out my characters' motivations and emotions and for reading through it for me!  
> It's been great having both your support on this!
> 
> Warnings:  
> Explicit Sexual Content

Sometimes, when Seto wanted to tease them, he would call them "Sweet" and "Spicy". Yuugi could tell that Atem enjoyed being called "spicy" - being called something exciting and exotic. Yuugi was partial to "sweet". He had been the sweet guy all his life, and he had never minded, but in comparison to Atem's "spicy" it seemed rather bland, boring even. 

He had liked it when Anzu had called him a sweet guy, on the phone, two weeks after she had moved to the US to become a professional dancer. He had hated the very same phrase a year later, when it had become obvious that Anzu’s life in New York was far from boring, a permanent whirl of people and shows, Anzu talking nonchalantly about things her friends did that would once have outraged her: alcohol abuse, sexual escapades, and a permanent fixation on getting the perfect body. A sweet little guy didn’t fit into this picture, Yuugi was certain. Somehow, he had always assumed that, once success had settled in, Anzu would come back and they would end up together, even though they had agreed on just being friends to avoid the strain of a long-distance relationship. Now, he wasn’t very sure anymore that Anzu would want a relationship. He was pretty sure that he wouldn’t want it. Not after the day a game night with Atem and Seto had ended with him falling asleep between those two in Seto's bed. 

When Seto had first called them by those terms of endearment, Yuugi had liked it, too. Any term of endearment from Seto Kaiba, even if uttered in jest, was worth celebrating in his opinion. It was only as time wore on that Yuugi began to put thought to the meaning of the words, to what they suggested, to the fact that they reflected the way Seto felt about them. 

To say that this had been worrying Yuugi would have been an exaggeration. But it was a nagging little thought in the back of his mind whenever he looked at them together, whenever he looked at himself in the mirror. 

Atem, of course, had caught on pretty quickly. 

“What’s bothering you, aibou?”

Yuugi sighed, pulling the violet blanket closer around himself and burying in the sofa cushions. “You like sweet things, don’t you, Atem?”

Atem looked at him quizzically, reclined on the other side of the sofa, feet propped upon the table. “I like all kinds of things,” he answered, diplomatically, refusing to show his hand before he knew what the entire thing was about. Sometimes a conversation with Atem could be infuriatingly slow, Yuugi mused, because he would always start it like a game, setting his trap cards, looking to decipher and counter the other’s strategy. 

“All kinds of personalities, too?” Yuugi tried to keep his voice even but noticed belatedly that he was twisting one of the blanket’s corners between his fingers. 

“Well, you should know all about that, aibou, shouldn’t you?” Atem smiled at him and that smile warmed Yuugi’s body from the tips of his toes to the tips of his wild hair with love and familiarity. 

“I guess I should,” Yuugi mumbled, meaning to drop the subject, but Atem lifted an eyebrow in a clear invitation for him to continue. 

“Do you think that personality is reflected in our activities…” - he mumbled the rest into the blanket he had pulled up to his face - “...in bed?”

Atem blinked once, twice, but quickly recovered from his surprise. “Well, yes, but not as an all-encompassing notion. We all have certain distinct qualities to us that define our interaction, so why would this be different in a sexual situation?" He lifted his feet from the table and pulled one leg up onto the couch to better face Yuugi. "On the other hand, why should it be wrong to want to be different from who we usually are in a sexual situation?”

“I guess so, yes,” Yuugi replied, not quite satisfied with the answer, now that he had brought himself to ask the question. “But do our personalities reflect in our choice to … top or bottom?”

“I don’t think that sexual desires should be broken down into simple categories like ‘top’ or ‘bottom’.” Atem pondered his answer for a moment. “There are so many shades of one and the same colour. And to try and put a label on something you enjoy might even make it less enjoyable in the end.” 

“But you like being on top better, don’t you?” Yuugi wondered, adding a silent and slightly wistful ‘at least with me’ since he had seen Atem in a different position with Seto more than a few times. 

“I have a preference, yes”, Atem replied with a small smile, “but that doesn’t mean I feel the same way about that every day. Quite often, actually, I find myself in the mood for something else.” His voice dropped a little and Yuugi realised suddenly that Atem had moved a lot closer on the sofa during their conversation. “How about your moods, Yuugi? Is that something you are wondering about?”

“I...ah…,” Yuugi stuttered, knowing that a deep crimson blush must have been highlighting his cheeks, and hating himself for it. His heart was beating at a rate that had him fearing it might leap out of his throat. “I would like to be… different, I guess. Exciting.” The last word was merely a breath. 

“Spicy, hm?” Atem’s eyes burned through him and Yuugi knew that Atem understood him and felt him with all his heart and the shared parts of their souls. “I would like that.”

“You… you would?” Yuugi barely recognised his own voice, breathy and slightly hoarse, as his body slowly caught on to the meaning of Atem’s words. 

“Mhm…”, Atem hummed, leaning closer, both of them basking in the intimacy of sharing the same breath of air. “Whenever the mood strikes you.” His lips ghosted over Yuugi’s, the tip of his tongue flicking to the corner of Yuugi’s mouth, a full stop to his sentence.

“And what,” Yuugi whispered, “if you are not in the mood at that time?”

Atem’s grin was suddenly huge. “Aibou… the idea of you doing certain things to me has been on my mind for quite some time now… “

Yuugi, reading Atem almost as well as the other was reading him, didn’t have to see or hear more to know Atem was serious, that this was indeed a fantasy of his. He felt slightly faint with the realization. “What about Seto?” he whispered. “What is he going to say?”

The change of Atem’s expression from soft and loving to smirking and feral was so immediate Yuugi almost pulled back. “Let him watch,” he breathed into Yuugi’s mouth, and Yuugi gasped as he caught on to the fact that there were now two fantasies of Atem’s in his hands to fulfill. 

***

It was without any doubt the perfect day for their experiment, Yuugi mused. Seto was at a conference, he had promised to video call tonight. It was the weekend so there were no morning shifts at the game shop, and since Seto was not home, Mokuba, who often spent weekends with them at the mansion, had opted to stay at his college dorm and have fun with his friends. They were alone. 

Atem had been giving subtle signals all day, starting from the way he dressed (less flamboyant than usual, casually mirroring Yuugi's style) to the way he spoke (calmer, a little lower than he was used to) to strategically positioning himself so he could look up into Yuugi's eyes. Yuugi recognized the signs from Atem indicating his 'mood' to Seto, but it was usually one at a time, not all of them at once. Atem wanted to reassure, to give him a clear go - and it made Yuugi so nervous he could have tripped over his feet. 

"Aibou." Atem finally caught him by his hand as he returned from the kitchen where he had taken their used dishes. He allowed himself to be pulled close but found Atem pressing their foreheads together and looking into his eyes instead of initiating anything sexual at all. "It doesn't have to be today, aibou. There'll be another time."

"I'm that transparent, huh?" Yuugi mumbled but the queasiness inside his stomach eased immediately. Atem would always understand, whatever it was that he chose to do or not to do. 

"I wouldn't be the partner you deserve if I couldn't see your unease right now." Atem kissed him lightly on the nose. 

The love and gratefulness Yuugi felt bubbled over suddenly and his arms engulfed Atem in a crushing, breathless hug. There was a slightly surprised grunt, and before Yuugi knew what was happening he found himself on the floor, lying on top of Atem, probably having knocked the wind out of him. 

Atem puffed out a breathless laugh. "See? There you go, not a bad move at all." His mirth was instantly contagious. 

"You think?" Yuugi replied with a mischievous smile and wriggled a little in his half-sitting position, hands splayed wide on Atem's chest. 

"Mmmmm…," Atem's eyes were closed, and he bore resemblance to a purring cat. "That one's even better." His lashes slid open a little and revealed his intense purple eyes in a half-lidded gaze of pleasure. "Gives me all kinds of… images."

Yuugi could feel himself hardening in the heat of that look, could feel desire quivering and tingling on his skin, and he wondered if he could simply allow it to envelop him. Like a superhero's suit, transforming him, endowing him with a power that he normally did not possess. Yes. That was the way to go. He was playing a role, taking up a character.

Atem must have seen the change of heart in his eyes. "Do you want to wait for Kaiba?" he breathed. 

***

Yuugi dropped onto the bed in his boxers and one of his favourite black shirts, started the video call and waited for Seto to pick up. When the other man appeared on the screen, tiredness evident on his face but his blue eyes no less fierce than ever, Yuugi grinned and waved. “Good to see you, Seto. Atem’s in the bathroom, he’ll be with us in a moment.”

“Yuugi.” Seto’s voice was calm, inscrutable, and it was not the first time Yuugi felt a little like an intruder, here in their shared bedroom, despite the endless reassurances he had received from both of them that he was more than welcome, that they wanted to have him here with them. Nonetheless, the fire that Atem and Seto shared would often burn so brightly that Yuugi found himself fading into the shadows, a mere observer to their passion. “How are you?”

“Thank you, we’re fine. I was at the game shop today, and Atem ran some errands for grandfather, nothing special. We’re missing you, of course.”

Yuugi was pleased to see that his words brought a small almost-smile to Seto’s lips. “And vice versa, Yuugi, I’ve been surrounded by power-hungry jackals all day, no subtlety, no style. I long for a good game with the two of you.”

Atem chose that moment to saunter into the room.

Seto took one look at Atem, took in his clothing choice of the day that almost copied Yuugi's down to the collar he wore around his neck, the look in his eyes, and adjusted immediately to the role that was indicated to him, rising a little straighter in his seat, languidly crossing his legs. “What’s the occasion, Pharaoh?” he demanded. 

Atem smiled sweetly, coyly, settling more comfortably onto their huge shared bed. One of his hands came to rest on Yuugi's thigh. “It’s not for you, Kaiba,” he replied. 

Seto must have been surprised, but he didn’t show it. He merely raised an eyebrow and Yuugi felt the dynamics of their interaction shift yet again, Atem’s smile sharp as a knife and Seto retreating, waiting for Atem’s next move. Their powerplay was familiar, but suddenly Yuugi understood that he was part of it, no, the subject of it. A player...or a pawn? He could not be certain, so he remained silent and waited for the game to play out. Instead he did his best to ignore the slight pang in his chest and the little voice in his head that told him, ‘This isn’t quite what you wished for, hm? A pawn for their passion?’

Atem knew it was his move they were both waiting for. The tanned hand that had been resting on Yuugi’s pale leg slipped away and Atem was sliding down from the bed to kneel in front of Yuugi. Their gazes locked, as they had so many times before, but Atem’s expression was different from anything Yuugi had ever seen before, subdued, almost innocently wide. “Aibou…,” he murmured, a soft tremor in his voice, “I’d like to pleasure you.”

With a start Yuugi realized that Atem was asking for permission. Instinctively, his eyes sought out Seto’s on the video screen. His gaze met stormy blue but there was no way for him to guess Seto's thoughts. As usual, his body language only gave away what he wanted it to, and since he was still in the middle of figuring out Atem's game of the day, Seto was showing absolutely nothing.

But Yuugi couldn't keep Atem waiting - why wouldn't he want this, after all? Granted, he frequently chose giving pleasure over being pleasured, it was just something he liked - to feel the power that was Atem, the ice that was Seto, dissolve and melt in his mouth and hands. 

Yuugi met Atem's gaze with all the love and lust they had shared earlier and nodded to him. A hint of a wicked smile ghosted over Atem's face, the expression familiar, but Atem nipped it in the bud before it could blossom. 

Atem pulled down Yuugi's boxers and allowed his soft breaths to whisper desire over Yuugi's erection. Yuugi shuddered and clenched the bedsheets in his hands. 

Out of the corner of his eyes he could see a number of screens flicker to life around them. Seto had installed screens virtually everywhere in his room, for work, for watching TV, for playing games…also for  _ playing games _ with Yuugi and Atem. While Atem didn't care very much for that kind of visual stimulation, both Yuugi and Seto liked to watch, themselves and each other, during intimate moments. Naturally Seto could remote control virtually everything in his household even when he was on the other side of the world. They had had video calls like this before, in fact, only two weeks ago when Seto had been in Paris for a few days. Atem had been inside Yuugi, casually instructing Seto like a movie director with a 'perhaps you'd like to choose a different angle to be able to watch what I'm going to do next' while Yuugi had been barely coherent, gulping down huge gasps of air to stop himself from moaning out loud at the thought of Seto seeing him like this. 

What Atem enjoyed about it was the knowledge that Seto refused to pleasure himself while watching, no matter how much it turned him on, and that was the kind of control Atem seemed to live for, trying to tease Seto into submission and break his iron discipline. So far, Seto had always won, but Yuugi knew Atem was determined to change that. 

Sometimes it was hard to keep track of all their games, and more often than not Yuugi would allow himself to just go with whatever they dished out and leave them to settle the score between themselves. Another way to be left out, he supposed, but then berated himself for the thought since it was hardly the right moment, for now Atem was preparing for another game he and Seto enjoyed, and that was to elicit vocal affirmations of pleasure from Yuugi. 

His lips slid down Yuugi's erection, suckling softly, treating the base with gentle licks of his tongue. Yuugi bit his lip, eyes sliding shut. In contrast to Seto and Atem, he was always desperate not to let any sound of pleasure escape his lips no matter how much his lovers encouraged him to do so. He got vocal only when the desire he felt was strong enough to override his embarrassment at his own cries of passion - a challenge that neither Atem nor Seto could resist. If they were keeping a score on this as well, Yuugi did not know. 

Atem sucked harder, more insistently, both his thumbs caressing the insides of Yuugi's thighs exactly where he liked it. An affirmative hum from the loudspeakers accompanied the breathy little moans Atem was making as his lips alternated between gripping Yuugi hard, sliding fast, and pressing feather-light against him in the next instant. 

"Yuugi," Seto's voice echoed from far away, and Yuugi opened his eyes to look at him on the screen in front of him, registering a glint of both pleasure and amusement in his eyes. "I believe Atem wanted something from you. Would you care to remind him, he is getting a little carried away here." 

Atem moaned aloud at the suggestion and pulled away slightly. "I want you, Yuugi," he affirmed his desires. 

Yuugi tried to gather himself back together, tried to retrieve his former association with comic book superheroes and their transformations. "Get up on the bed," he told Atem. It felt just a little wrong on his tongue. Yuugi always asked for something he wanted. He never ordered or demanded. 

Atem, however, seemed pleased and eagerly crawled up onto the bed. "What else, Yuugi?" he murmured. "Tell me what to do."

You can do this, Yuugi tried to reassure himself, beating down the insecurity he felt at the thought of ordering Atem around. "Get undressed," he said, remembering how Seto usually liked to take control over Atem with those words. (Atem, on the other hand, would say something along the lines of 'strip for me, baby' and provoke Seto's defiance to ensnare him into a battle for submission.)

Atem's hands went to the hem of his shirt, pulling it up and over his head. The pants followed. "The collar?" Atem asked softly, giving Yuugi a heated look full of suggestions. Yuugi wasn't sure if there was something Atem expected him to do with the collar so he shook his head. "Let me," he mumbled and reached for the clasp to remove it himself. The brush of his fingers on Atem's neck was electric, the intimacy of removing that little piece of clothing they both liked to wear connecting them like a shared secret.

Yuugi pressed his mouth to the tender skin on Atem's neck then ran the tip of his nose along the curve of it up to Atem's ear, a mere whisper of a touch. "Please, Yuugi," Atem breathed, and Yuugi was overcome with need at the urgency and fervour in his voice. 

He broke away from Atem to search the nightstand for lube. "Top drawer, left," Seto instructed from the video screen with a roll of his eyes, and Yuugi had to laugh a little despite himself. When he had found what he was looking for and made to turn back, Atem's hands wrapped around his waist from behind. "Want me to get rid of those clothes for you, aibou?" 

In his urgency, Atem didn't wait for his answer, but it worked to both their advantage. Just like Yuugi had done, Atem unclasped the collar for him last and slid it off his throat. They were completely naked now, facing each other as they kneeled on the bed. 

"What do you think, Kaiba?" Atem murmured without taking his eyes off Yuugi. 

"I think there's a certain Pharaoh begging to be fucked," Seto replied, but his voice was a little raspy with desire. "And I think I need to invent teleportation soon. I want to touch you, the two of you, while you are together like this." 

"Mmmm," Atem hummed, and ran his hand slowly down Yuugi's chest, "That would be so good." His hand slid further down, one slender digit drew a circle around the base of Yuugi's erection. 

Yuugi reached for Atem and pulled him close for a kiss, his hands cupping the other's face. His tongue found Atem's in an intimate, slow dance that he knew was theirs alone since Seto had no patience for languorous kissing. Seto's kisses, even when they were relaxed and slow, were a small, sweet treat, a delicate chocolate truffle, while Yuugi and Atem shared kisses like thick hot cocoa. 

The familiarity of their kissing helped Yuugi to steady himself and plan his next move. Trying to remember every little detail of how Atem and Seto would do this to him, he coated his fingers in lube and let his hand slide down to the cleft of Atem's ass. 

He had prepared himself on occasion, never someone else. Carefully sliding in one of his fingers, he watched Atem's reaction. Atem's eyes had closed, his eyebrows slightly pinched, and his mouth had fallen open, slack-jawed with the intensity of the sensation. Yuugi was bathed in goosebumps, both from nervousness and desire, and he could have sworn to have heard a strangled moan that could only have been Seto's. 

"More, Yuugi," Atem demanded breathlessly and he hurried to add a second finger. Atem groaned and tried to spread his legs further in his kneeling position. 

"Maybe we should…maybe you should lie down?" Yuugi suggested. 

Instead of a reply, Atem grabbed Yuugi's arms at the biceps to pull him over and topple them both into the sheets. However, he seemed to quench the impulse at the last minute, opting instead for a nod. He was holding back, Yuugi realized. Atem was always in control, whatever it was they were doing, even when they were all mindless with desire. And Yuugi… wasn't. 

"Well, what are you waiting for?" he said with a slightly forced grin. He recognized it as something directly out of Seto's mouth, and predictably, he glanced over at the screen while Atem did as told. Seto's smile might have been amused or mocking, it was hard to tell, and Yuugi didn't have the time to study his expression in detail. "You have my approval for fucking him, Yuugi. No need to check in with me for every detail of the act."

Right, Yuugi thought, joining half-heartedly in Atem's breathless laughter. He coated his fingers in lube once more and crawled on top of Atem. The other lifted his right leg onto Yuugi's left shoulder to allow him better access. When his fingers reentered, Atem threw his head back and arched up into Yuugi, seeking friction, then pushing himself back down onto probing digits. Yuugi felt lightheaded with the thought of what was to come, feeling his breath reduced to shallow gasps. He slid a third finger in and a pleading whine fell from Atem's lips. Yuugi was mesmerized by the sound. 

"How does it feel, Pharaoh?" Seto interjected, voice low pitched and raw. 

Atem arched his back again. "So. Good. Please." Another needy whine. "How do you want me, Yuugi? Like this? Or on my hands and knees?" 

Yuugi started a little. He...hadn't really thought about this. He just wanted Atem to continue making those sounds. But what would Atem like best? 

"Ah… Just like this," he finally replied, forcing himself not to look at Seto for confirmation. 

"Then take me," Atem groaned, "I'm all yours."

Yuugi didn't feel like a superhero as he rubbed lube onto his erection. He was a quivering needy mess instead. Any desire for power over his beautiful partner had faded into the background, and all that was left was the aspiration to make it good for him, to give him everything he wanted and more, to fulfill any of his needs. Atem, his entire body breathed, screamed, whimpered, Atem… It was not in any way different from what he felt when Atem took him. Except that now he also had those mesmerizing sounds from Atem to lead him along. 

He positioned himself and started pushing, and despite having experienced it countless times on the other end, he was still a little surprised that the tight ring of muscle actually gave way and he was sliding into Atem’s body. Yuugi gasped. Gasped again. Tried to process the amount of sensation flooding him. He managed to look up through his bangs and found Atem’s eyes on him, an expression of loving fondness on his face. “You can move now, aibou,” he murmured. 

Yuugi’s face flushed a little with embarrassment. Atem was waiting for him to catch up with his pace because Yuugi obviously couldn’t keep up, because Yuugi was overcome by his own pleasure. He forced himself to pull out and push back in fast, in one fluid motion. 

“Oh yes, that’s it Yuugi,” Atem encouraged, grabbing Yuugi’s right shoulder, his leg still slung over the left one, and holding on through Yuugi’s next thrusts. I can’t keep this up, Yuugi thought, I’m going to come any moment. He took a deep breath, trying to calm himself, slowing down his pace. 

Atem’s leg slipped off his shoulder and leaned a little closer to Yuugi, as much as it was possible in their current position. “Are you alright, aibou?”

Yuugi nodded, still breathing deeply, refusing to look at Atem. He didn’t want to say it. He didn’t want to admit he had no sort of control over his body, especially with Seto listening. Seto was sitting in his hotel room and watching them and had the discipline not to touch himself while Yuugi could not even hold back long enough for Atem to really enjoy this. 

Atem’s hand found Yuugi’s chin and gently coaxed him to look up. Their eyes met and Yuugi could see his own pleading gaze reflected in the way Atem’s entire expression turned worried. Yuugi felt something inside him give up, relinquish, let go. He rolled to the side, pulling Atem on top of him. Atem understood immediately. 

Somehow, Yuugi marvelled, a little bitterly, it was possible to feel relief and dejection at the same time. As Atem rode him and brought them both to completion, Yuugi allowed himself to shut down his mind and go with it, to enjoy the moment. 

When he was lying in Atem’s arms later, listening to his heated banter with Seto, a sense of defeat washed over him and he buried his face in Atem’s chest to hide it from them. 

***

Seto was home early. Yuugi slipped into the mansion as quietly as possible after exchanging a few nice words with the security guard and learning that Seto had indeed left work at 5 pm - outrageous for a weekday, and even now, on a Saturday, highly unexpected. A very pleasant surprise, though, as they had barely seen him since his return from the conference.

Atem was still away, attending a history class at Domino university. Yuugi opted for texting him to be home at the mansion as soon as possible, knowing how much Atem had been looking forward to spending time with Seto. How much they both had. 

Time alone with Atem had been a little… strained these last few days. More often than not they would follow their usual habits, would lose themselves in well-practiced patterns. At odd times the memories of their experiment resurfaced on Yuugi's mind. He would try to shove them away but they were insistent, shoving back, shoving his ineptitude right into his face. They had never talked about it. Atem had initiated sex a few times, also following familiar patterns, and they had reached the unspoken agreement to leave things as they were.

Seto had returned late on Wednesday night and they had all been far too tired for more than quick and efficient pleasures. The next two nights, Seto had been so late that they had not seen him at all. 

Yuugi was used to waking up at night and finding his body there with them, warmth seeping into his back where Seto was pressed against it. He would usually wrap around Yuugi for sleep as Atem preferred to have his space during the night (any sort of confinement made him restless). It was not an unusually busy week for Seto, but there had not been time for a real conversation. Not that Yuugi expected or wanted to have one about this with Seto.

There was no need to alert Seto to his presence as security had instructions to pass that information on to him at any time. Yuugi took a moment to put his things away and go to the bathroom before locating Seto in the kitchen. 

Seto rarely cooked, but when he was in the mood he would go for a three-course menu at the very least. Simply preparing food was probably the last thing on his mind on these occasions - as in every other area of his life, Seto was slightly over the top when it came to cooking. 

As Yuugi set foot into the kitchen he was busy cutting vegetables with admirable precision and speed. Yuugi did not offer his help, knowing from past experience that it was neither appreciated nor accepted. 

"Hi," he said simply. "You're alone? Mokuba's not home this weekend?" 

Seto snorted, cutting away furiously at a carrot. "He's attending a _sleepover_ _party_. He vowed to be here all day tomorrow. In what state of awakeness remains to be seen." 

Yuugi grinned to himself. "I can't believe how much of a teenager he has become." The words were not meant to elicit a certain reaction from Seto, but strangely enough, they did. If Seto's half-smile was any indication, he was proud of Mokuba for being not the too-young adult life had forced him to be but the defiant teenager he should be instead. 

"And where's the Pharaoh?" 

"History class," Yuugi answered with a shrug, grabbing a glass of water for himself. 

Seto snorted. "There are at least twenty much more efficient ways to learn about history right here at home."

Something warm and precious fluttered in Yuugi's chest at the way Seto didn't call the mansion  _ his _ home but simply home. Including them, making them part of what home was to him, making them feel at home here with him and Mokuba. He smiled. 

"You know him, he wants to be among people once in a while." Like me, like Mokuba. Like probably everyone but you, he added silently. 

Seto turned to give him a sharp glance, an angry frown on his face. "Is he trying to avoid you?" 

Yuugi gaped at him. "Atem? Why would he?" 

The only answer he got was an indignant huff and a look that clearly said 'Do I look that stupid to you?' 

Sighing softly, Yuugi resigned himself to the fact that Seto was not inclined to just let it go like Atem and he had. He set his glass of water down on the counter. "We… haven't talked about it," he said. 

"Isn't that what you always want everybody else to do? Talk about it?" Seto looked honestly disbelieving and if he had not been so abashed Yuugi would have laughed.

"It's probably better to let it go. It didn't work out as well as we thought it would. And it's ok if it doesn’t."

"Hm," Seto grunted, averting his eyes and turning back to the cutting board. 

Yuugi babbled on, a little confused at Seto's acceptance. "It's not like we're having a bad time doing all kinds of other things. It doesn’t have to be that."

"Hm." 

“And it probably isn’t for everyone. I mean, it’s normal that people prefer one thing over the other, isn’t it?”

"Yuugi, you are negating who I am." 

"N-no, of course not," Yuugi stuttered, utterly startled. "It both comes natural to you, I can see that. But I guess…that's just not me." He hung his head a little, feeling his cheeks burn with the memory. 

Seto pushed away the vegetables he was cutting and put down the knife before he turned his full focus on Yuugi. As always when that intense stare was so fully directed at him, Yuugi's knees weakened a little and his breath came in short puffs. 

Seto took two long strides right into his personal space, which caused Yuugi to back away and end up pressed to the closed kitchen door. Seto's gaze was annoyed, and hungry.

"I've watched you. Don't tell me this wasn't something you wanted."

Yuugi gulped. "Well, I…" 

"You wanted him. You want the way he looks at you with abandon, the way he  _ needs _ you to touch him."

"Yes…," Yuugi whispered. 

Seto leaned into him, one hand on the side of his neck, caressing his favourite collar, the other on the door. 

"You want him to beg, you want to hear his voice when it breaks a little on the words because he can't control it anymore. You want him to tremble with need the moment just before you enter him because you know it's all for you, all because of you."

"Oh God," Yuugi half whispered, half moaned, his hands unconsciously scrambling to find leverage to pull Seto closer, the image of Atem vivid on his mind. 

"I can see it in you, Yuugi." Seto's lips caressed his neck just above the collar, then just below, small brushes in between words. "I can see that you want him, exactly like that."

Yuugi bit back a whimper that was both desire and embarrassment. "But what if I can't do it right?" 

Seto pulled back. Yuugi's eyes slowly slid open, afraid to find disapproval on Seto's face. But what he found instead was a cooly raised eyebrow on impassive features and a hidden almost-smile beneath it. A challenge. 

"Learn to do it, then. You don't have to change or redefine everything you are. We are merely exploring a different strategy to find mutual pleasure." 

Yuugi's eyes went wide. "A different strategy." 

Seto was already turning back to his vegetables, leaving Yuugi leaning against the door, flustered and half-hard, but with a smile on his face. 

***

Atem arrived an hour later, looking eager and dangerous and vibrating with energy. Yuugi, who had watched Seto cook, had watched the carefully measured slicing of meat and vegetables, the controlled force of every single action he took, knew that tonight was going to be a contest of power for both of them. Neither looked the slightest bit willing to submit, they were both burning with a need to  _ take  _ what was theirs. Part of him was excited at the prospect. Another part was deferring to being a mere bystander once more. 

Seto's home-cooked three course dinner was amazing. Yuugi chatted a little with Atem about his class and today's events at the game shop. Seto was mostly quiet, only answering when Yuugi asked him about his trip, about the corporation, about the spices he had used in their curry. 

When they put the plates away Atem would make sure to squeeze past Seto, bump into him, brush against him, every single movement of his already a prelude to what was about to happen. Seto reacted with stoic indifference, and that only served to wind Atem up further. 

When they had finally reached the bedroom Atem looked ready to pounce. Seto drew himself up to his full height, towering over Atem, over them both, and finally opened his mouth to speak. 

"I challenge the two of you to a game." 

Atem's eyes glinted, his smile bared his teeth. "Bring it on, Kaiba. You know I can beat you at anything." 

Kaiba looked at him smugly, cooly, obviously enjoying that he knew something Atem didn't. "Pity I won't be the one playing against you."

Atem frowned. Yuugi gulped. What was Seto proposing? He felt vulnerable and slightly anxious. 

"What's this game of yours about?" Atem wanted to know. 

"It's quite simple, Pharaoh." Seto produced a single coin from his pocket. "You both claim either heads or tails. The winner gets to do something to me. What it is that you do is your choice."

They both stared at him. Neither had expected anything like this. 

Yuugi spoke first since Atem was busy trying to figure out Seto’s strategy, the catch he was expecting to be hidden in his proposal. 

"What do you mean by 'do something to you'? 

"Exactly what I said," Seto replied, slightly annoyed at having to repeat himself. "You want to tickle me, tickle me. You want to insult me, go ahead and insult me. You want to suck me off, then suck me off." 

Yuugi glanced at Atem, trying to decipher the expression on his face. There certainly was apprehension there, but also a wild temptation. Seto hardly ever presented himself so vulnerable to Atem, his submission was usually accompanied by a magnanimous gesture.  _ I allow you to fuck me.  _ Or even  _ I dare you to take me.  _

The idea of Seto trusting them enough to put himself at their mercy like this was tempting not just to Atem, Yuugi realised. The warm tingle of desire danced over his skin. "I'm in," he said quickly, startling Atem who was still doubtful. However, now that Yuugi had agreed there was no logical reason for Atem to refuse, and he knew it. 

"Alright Kaiba, we'll play your game." 

Seto smirked and flipped the coin without further ado. "Heads, Atem?" 

The light frown on Atem's face deepened a little at being called out. The coin landed in Seto's right hand, and he placed it on the back of his left hand, covering up the result. "Your choice, Yuugi," Atem decided. 

"Tails," Yuugi said, because that was what he always chose. 

Seto lifted his palm off the coin. Heads. "I'm in your hands, Pharaoh," he said. 

It should not have been so erotic to hear those words, especially since they were not directed at him but at Atem. It did not make a difference to Yuugi's body. 

Atem did not hesitate. "Get on the bed. I want to take off your shirt."

Normally, Seto would have suggested Atem climb a chair instead, or would have used the advantage of his height in some other way. Today, though, he simply did as Atem had requested and sat down on the bed, long legs crossed. He raised his eyebrow. "Well? Hurry up." Following suit, Atem worked quickly to remove Seto's black turtleneck, stopping to look only when he was done. He nodded, satisfied. "Flip your coin again," he told Seto. 

The next coin toss showed heads again. Atem chuckled. "Coin says the pants go as well. Get up on your knees, Kaiba." Seto snorted. "You certainly need a lot of help for a little undressing, almighty Pharaoh." 

When Seto was kneeling on the bed completely naked, Atem held out his hand for the coin. "Let's see what's next," he said.

The coin spun in the air and landed in Atem's hand. He presented the result to them. It was tails. 

Yuugi had been content to watch Seto being undressed. He had enjoyed watching Atem's tan hands on Seto's bare chest, he had smiled at their attitudes. Suddenly he was forcefully dragged into the action. For a moment he considered passing his turn on to Atem. 

Seto's voice interrupted his inner debate. "What would you like to do to me, Yuugi?" 

Yuugi swallowed. There was something, an idea that had struck him when Seto had been watching Atem undress him… Seto liked to watch, Seto liked to see. Seto liked to have that kind of control. But there was also something Yuugi thought he would like. He took a deep breath. 

"I'd like to blindfold you, Seto." 

Atem stared at him, wide-eyed. Seto nodded. "It's your call, Yuugi."

Part of him hadn't been expecting Seto to actually go along with it. Every other part of his body and soul was singing with desire at the thought. "Do you… have something…?"

"One of your ties?" Atem suggested, and when Seto nodded he added, "I'll get one for you." 

When Atem turned around to head for the wardrobe, Yuugi's eyes found Seto's, looking for a sign of nervousness or discomfort. Seto didn't show anything. 

Nonetheless, he needed to make sure, whispering, "If you want me to take it off at any time just…" say so? No, that wouldn't do, Seto would never admit to his boundaries with Atem watching. "...just, call me a sweet guy, ok? I'll know." Seto's face was still blank but he gave an almost imperceptible nod. It was enough to do away with Yuugi's concerns. 

Atem had found what he was looking for and returned to Yuugi's side, handing him a broad dark blue tie without another word. Yuugi tried to calm his racing heartbeat, breathing evenly as he moved forward to the bed and placed the tie over Seto's already closed eyes. He tied it securely at the back of his head and took a step back to inspect his handiwork. 

Kneeling naked on the bed, hands resting flat on his thighs, the tie hiding those cutting blue eyes, Seto looked proud as well as vulnerable, and also incredibly young. 

"Kaiba…," Atem breathed, voice thick with emotion, "You look…you are…" 

"You are so beautiful, Seto," Yuugi finished for him, startled at his own words. He had never said anything like this to Seto's face before. It had not been possible with the other's scowl fixed on his. It was now. 

There was no reaction from Seto, but a miniscule twitch of his right hand. Atem flipped the coin again and it showed tails once more. 

"My turn," Yuugi said softly, thinking that Seto would probably appreciate knowing it. He got up onto the bed and behind Seto. "I want to give you a massage."

This was something Seto had never wanted them to do. He either insisted he didn't need it or that he had no time, and during sex he was far too impatient for those drawn-out periods of foreplay that Yuugi and Atem enjoyed together. All of that was different now. 

Yuugi placed his hands on Seto's strong shoulders, trailed them lightly over taut skin before he began to knead slowly, digging his fingers into soft indentations, dragging circles over knots, trying to smooth out hardened muscles. Seto tensed every so often, but gradually relaxed into Yuugi's hands as those tensions loosened. 

"Why won't you let us do this for you sometimes?" Yuugi murmured, close to Seto's ear. "I think you could enjoy it."

"Hm," Seto grunted, and Yuugi grinned to himself. "Turn ended," he stated and pulled his hands away. 

This time the coin came up with heads. Atem looked uncharacteristically off kilter and Yuugi was startled by how much a blindfolded Seto seemed to affect Atem, and in a completely different way than he would have expected. He did not comment as Atem handed him the coin and kneeled in front of Seto on the bed. 

Atem took Seto's hands in both or his, lifted them off his thighs and turned them around gently, palms facing upward. He started running his thumbs lightly over them, then applied soft pressure on the digits as he stroked them one after the other. Nothing could be heard but for their soft breathing. Seto's lips had fallen open ever so slightly, and when he was done, Atem leaned into him for the briefest, gentles of kisses they had probably ever shared. "I've wanted and still want to do this to every single part of your body, Kaiba ," he said, voice loving and low. "But most of all, I've wanted to caress your hands." 

A soft exhalation fell from Seto's lips. Atem let go of his hands and nodded at Yuugi to indicate that he was done. 

Yuugi flipped, still humbled by the softness he had just witnessed Atem display towards Seto. Tails came up on top. He swallowed and moved closer to them again, gently pushing Atem's shoulder to give him space as he sat in front of Seto. "I want to make you feel good, Seto," he murmured and bent down to take Seto into his mouth. 

Seto had been half-hard but Yuugi felt him swell fully in his mouth in a matter of seconds. He ran his tongue over the head, dipped it into the slit the way he knew Seto liked it, then slid his lips down and swallowed around Seto's length. 

"Yuugi," Seto moaned softly, and moved his hips forward, thrusting gently into Yuugi's mouth. Yuugi allowed it a few times then placed his hands on Seto's hips to hold him still as he took him deeper into his throat. Seto groaned openly, gripping the sheets to keep himself grounded. Yuugi pulled away with a grin, lips sliding off Seto's glistening cock. He flipped the coin casually. 

"Please tell me it's tails again so you can finish what you started," Seto grumbled. 

"Heads." Yuugi allowed his teasing smile to show in his voice. "Maybe the Pharaoh is feeling merciful tonight."

Atem smirked and scooted closer, bending down to Seto's lap. He blew hot breath onto Seto's erection, watching him squirm, then gripped the base in his hand and worked it with firm squeezes while he gently mouthed the head, knowing it was something that drove Seto crazy. Seto grasped for Atem's hair, trying to pull him closer, thrusting his hips to force more contact with a desperate moan.

"Fuck you, don't stop," he hissed when Atem pulled away, but Atem tsked and wound himself out of Seto's grasp with a dismissive "Turn ended." He took the coin Yuugi held out for him and flipped it. Tails. 

Yuugi looked at Seto still kneeling on the bed and felt the urge to shy away from how much he liked to see him like this, to have him naked and vulnerable instead of clad in his armor of piercing cold looks and sneers. To have him open and susceptible to softness… He turned to Atem who was watching Seto with a look of longing and hunger on his face. "Could you get me another tie? One that he won't mind being ruined?" Atem's eyes widened slightly but he got up immediately. 

"Gonna  _ tie  _ me up then?" Seto demanded. It was masked as a pun but apprehension was audible in his voice. 

"Not unless you ask me to do that," Yuugi said and heard Atem's soft gasp from where he was looking through Seto's wardrobe. 

Seto grunted, his fingers digging into his thighs to keep from touching himself. Yuugi could relate, his own erection was hot and painful in its confines. 

The tie Atem slipped Yuugi was adorned with silver and white stripes and was truly hideous. "Thank you." Yuugi smiled and pulled Atem close for a hungry kiss. 

Seto cleared his throat. "This is not part of the game," he complained, somehow managing to sound authoritarian. 

"Impatient, are we?" Atem quipped.

Yuugi winked at him conspiratorially. "It's still my turn isn't it? Well, Seto, I want to make you guess what I'm doing to Atem."

Seto grumbled something but was already poised for listening and guessing the source of each sound they were making.

Yuugi took Atem's face in his hands and rubbed their noses together with a cheeky grin that Atem returned eagerly. 

"More kissing," Seto mumbled. 

"Hm, not quite," Yuugi replied, gazing deeply into Atem's eyes and seeing questions there, surprise, wonder, but overall, a deep, all-encompassing affection. 

"Caresses then."

"Maybe," Yuugi smiled and slipped behind Atem on the bed, resting his head on the other's shoulder and running a hand over the waistband of his pants. 

"Yes or no, Yuugi, maybe is not an… A-Ha! You got your hands down his pants!" 

Atem had gasped a loud 'Ah!' when Yuugi's hand had slipped inside. "Good guess, Seto," Yuugi affirmed, and stroked Atem's erection, eliciting more gasps and groans. His tongue traced the shell of Atem's ear. "How about we flip that coin again?" He searched one-handedly for the coin between the bedsheets. 

Atem moaned and pushed himself into Yuugi's hand. "No need, aibou. I'm pretty sure it's still your turn."

"So you forfeit the game?" Seto taunted.

"Of course not," Atem huffed. "But you never specified the maximum duration of one turn and we are simply prolonging…" He broke off for a loud moan when Yuugi twisted his hand a little. 

"Sure," Seto drawled, then "Are you undressing him?" 

Yuugi, who had made good use of their bickering to take off his own clothes, smirked and replied. "I am not, but I think it's a very good idea." He turned to Atem. "Would you strip for me, baby?" 

Seto threw his head back and laughed, loud and resounding.

Atem stared at Seto for a moment before recognizing his own words thrown back at him and turned an incredulous gaze at Yuugi. "You, aibou, you are a little fiend!" 

Yuugi waggled his eyebrows, feeling light, strong, and bubbling with happiness like a fountain of expensive champagne. "That's why you love me. Now get undressed while I'm taking care of Seto, we don't want to keep him waiting any longer." 

This was not the way Yuugi had expected power to feel. It definitely looked different on Atem and Seto when they fought each other for dominance, when they controlled their sexual interactions. Yuugi was aglow with delight, wanted to worship every detail of Seto's body, wanted to make Atem whine with pleasure, wanted them to laugh, to enjoy, wanted them to feel loved and cherished. Like a vessel overflowing with water he felt his joy spill over and lave everything it touched. 

He grabbed the silvery-white tie and settled on the bed behind Seto, then took a deep breath to steady himself. "Atem has just taken his shirt off," he murmured next to Seto's ear. "He's probably wishing you could see him, the refined beauty of his muscles, the way he moves with such grace. The way his fingers are hooking into the waistband of his pants and pulling them down."

A low moan of Seto's met and mingled with another of Atem's in the air between them that felt electrically charged by Yuugi's words. 

"He probably wants to touch you," Yuugi announced to Seto, "To slide his fingers down your chest. Just like this." He draped the silky tie over Seto's shoulder and allowed the tip to slide down very very slowly towards his groin. Seto's head fell back onto Yuugi's shoulder, his mouth slightly opened, his erection straining towards the light touch of fabric. Atem watched silently, fervently, eyes transfixed onto the tie as it slid lower, as Yuugi reached between Seto's legs, grabbed the end and pulled it slowly through to his back. The silk slipped past Seto's erection, into the crevice between groin and thigh, a maddening caress, so close but so far away from where Seto wanted to be touched. Slowly, carefully, Yuugi slid the tie completely through Seto's legs until he had to let go in the front. 

"Again," Seto demanded harshly and Atem nodded silently in agreement. Yuugi smiled and beckoned Atem closer with a wave of his hand. 

"He is in front of you now, Seto, just out of reach. I bet he would like to touch you here as well…" He wrapped the silk around Seto's erection, once, twice. Atem groaned at the way Seto gasped softly and dug his fingernails into his thighs like claws. Yuugi allowed one silvery end to slip down onto the bed, gently holding Seto's wrapped erection with the other. 

But it was Atem who begged him. "Please, Yuugi…"

"Can you get on your hands and knees, Seto?" Yuugi asked, plans forming as naturally, as certainly, as they did during his duels. "I think Atem needs you above him. Wanna lie down on your back, Atem?"

"Ohh yes," Atem groaned and complied, while Seto didn't even bother to answer but fluidly changed his position. Yuugi made sure to guide him with the slightest of touches, Atem's legs spreading to accommodate him, until he had settled over Atem just like Yuugi had suggested. 

Yuugi was entirely focussed on what Seto needed, what Seto and Atem needed. He could see Seto's hands grasping at the sheets, searching for purchase, he could see Atem’s hands quivering with the need to do something while he was trying to hold himself back. The solution was easy. 

"Atem," he said softly, "Would you like your wrists tied above your head? Or would you rather have Seto hold them?" 

Atem's breath hitched. "Kaiba," he finally forced out, voice heavy and dark with lust. 

Seto reacted immediately, sliding his hands up Atem's chest, one at a time, finding his wrists. He pulled them up and pressed them into the mattress left and right of Atem's head. "Caught, Pharaoh," he whispered teasingly, enjoying Atem's squirming where their bodies rubbed together. 

"Catch me any time if this is the outcome," Atem whispered back, fervently. 

Yuugi pulled away from the tantalizing image with difficulty. He found a tube of lube on the nightstand and squeezed a little onto his fingers. Trailing his wet index finger up Seto's thigh to the cleft of his ass he asked, "Is this ok, Seto?" Yuugi knew, but he needed to hear it from Seto himself. "Is this what you want?" 

" _ Yes _ ," Seto hissed, hot and impatient. 

Without further ado Yuugi slipped his finger in. A wave of desire surged through his body and shook him, the tremors passing on into Seto's body, dying away in the strong curve of his calves that supported his weight. 

A sense of deja vu had taken hold of Yuugi. Just as he had experienced it with Atem a week ago, he felt his control slipping, pleasure spiraling out of his grasp.

But Seto's voice rang in his ear, grounding in the hint of annoyance it bore.  _ A different strategy.  _ Just… take him there with you. Make him need you so much he loses control with you. 

Yuugi pulled his finger out and thrust it back in, with purpose. Seto's body rocked forward, bearing down onto Atem's wrists with a groan. Leaning his own body weight onto Seto's back, Yuugi reached around him to grasp Seto's erection and squeeze it in time with his thrusts. Atem whimpered at the way Seto groaned above him, and with the jolts of pleasure he felt whenever Yuugi's thrusts made Seto's cock in Yuugi's hand brush against Atem's own leaking desire. 

Yuugi paused for a breath and to apply more lube before he slipped in a second digit and renewed his efforts. 

Over Seto's shoulder he could see Atem's face, his half-lidded eyes, sliding entirely shut with each thrust, each time he would arch up to meet Seto.

When he added a third finger Yuugi felt Seto's erection twitch in his grasp and again a shudder went through both their bodies. The resurfacing nervousness settled low in his stomach but only as a minor undertone to desire. They were both there now, both ready. 

Yuugi let go of Seto for a moment to coat his erection with lube and positioned himself. "Hurry  _ up _ , Yuugi," Seto ground out, and Atem whispered, " _ Please" _ , probably at none of them in particular. 

The tightness was overwhelming. The sensation of being inside Seto, the knowledge that he was inside  _ Seto _ , pushed Yuugi so close to orgasm he had to bite his cheek painfully to stop it. He was not alone, though. 

"Fuck!" Seto's groan bordered on a scream and Atem's answering gasp of "Kaiba!" as Seto rocked into him was just as close to an exclamation. Yuugi trembled with the strain of holding back, but he knew it wouldn't take long for any of them now. 

"Ready, Seto?" he whispered. When the other nodded he pulled off the blindfold in one swift motion before he began to thrust into Seto's body and squeeze his length again, denying him a chance to adjust to the onslaught of sensation combined with the sudden return of his sight. Exposing him to the raw need on Atem's face, his wide eyes, his flushed face as he strained in Seto's grasp. 

Seto’s moan was desperate. He dragged Atem’s wrists down at his sides, trying to get into a better position to bend down. Seeing his intention, Atem scooted up to give him better reach. Seto paused above Atem’s erection, and with his last shreds of awareness Yuugi realized he was waiting for a go-ahead from him. “Yes,” he gasped out, “Take him with us, Seto.” 

When Seto’s lips closed around his cock, Atem’s hips surged up from the mattress and he came with a scream. Every muscle in Seto’s body was suddenly taut as a wire. Orgasm ripped through him in spasms, like an electric jolt. The aftershocks of his pleasure and the look of far-away bliss in Atem’s eyes finally drove Yuugi over the edge as well. 

*** 

“That was… Yuugi… that was…”

Atem was obviously struggling to find words. Seto had collapsed on top of him and had not made any move to release him yet. Yuugi had dropped at Atem’s side, not wanting to crush him with any more additional weight. Instead of finishing his sentence, Atem brought a trembling hand up to Yuugi’s face and traced one of his cheekbones, the curve of his nose, his lips. 

Seto grunted something into Atem’s shoulder that sounded affirmative. 

“That was...maybe a little spicy?” Yuugi smiled lopsidedly as his lower lip got caught on Atem’s finger. 

Seto lifted his head a fraction off Atem’s chest and glared at Yuugi. “So this is what last week was about? You wanted to do something …’a little spicy’? You feel you aren’t good enough the way you are?” 

Yuugi shrunk a little under Seto’s angry gaze, feeling small again. “Well, you two are always so...intense. I thought I could try to be a little more…”

“Damn it, Yuugi,” Seto said, exasperated. “You could never be ‘a little more’ - there is no comparative to a superlative.”

Yuugi gaped at him. “I think that was the weirdest compliment I ever got… but… thank you, Seto. It’s… it’s sweet.”

Seto grunted again, directing his glare at a smirking Atem instead. “And you, you couldn’t have told him that a little sooner when he came to you, huh?”

Atem glared right back at him. “I thought it was all about being experimental during sex!” 

“You thought.” Seto rolled his eyes a little. “And then you didn’t talk about it because you didn’t want to make each other feel bad. It’s just your weird luck that you have me here to push you out of your comfort zone.”

Atem grinned. “Actually, yes, and thank you, I liked that push a lot.” 

“Me too,” Yuugi grinned. “So, I guess I don’t have to worry about you getting bored with me.”

Atem sat up, forcefully dislocating Seto, and grabbed both of Yuugi’s hands.

“Do you know what you are, Yuugi? You are our safe haven. You are what grounds us when we soar too high. You are what levels us when we get too caught up in the discords of our games. You are the sweetness we bask and indulge in. You are the certitude none of us can give the other because we're already having such a hard time finding it in ourselves. You are who we will always put our trust in to make us happy. Your sweetness is nothing belittling, it's what makes you grand.”

Yuugi had no words. He wouldn’t have been able to force words past the lump in his throat anyway. So he hid his tears of joy and gratitude away against Atem's chest and in Seto's arms.


End file.
